O---------------------------------O
| SUPER SMASH BROS. MELEE |
| Mr. Game & Watch Strategy Guide |
O---------------------------------O
Final Version.
Complete with strategies for every branch of Mr. G&W's many talents!
Written by Snow Dragon (C) 2002. All rights reserved.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
=================
I. Updates
II. Intro and Notes
III. Mr. Game & Watch's Moves
IV. Classic Mode Walkthrough
a) Stage 1 - Random Character
b) Stage 2 - Two-On-Two Team Battle
c) Stage 3 - Break the Targets
d) Stage 4 - Random Character
e) Stage 5 - Giant Random Character (2 allies)
f) Stage 6 - Snag Trophies
g) Stage 7 - Random Character
h) Stage 8 - Team of Ten (one random character)
i) Stage 9 - Race to the Finish
j) Stage 10 - Metal Random Character
k) Stage 11 - Master Hand (possibly also Crazy Hand)
V. Adventure Mode Walkthrough
a) Mushroom Kingdom
1) Peach and Mario/Luigi
b) Kongo Jungle
1) Two Tiny Donkey Kongs
2) Giant Donkey Kong
c) Underground Maze
1) Zelda
d) Brinstar
1) Race to the Top
e) Green Greens
1) Kirby
2) Kirby Team
3) Giant Kirby
f) Corneria
1) Fox
2) Fox/Falco
g) Pokemon Stadium
h) F-Zero Grand Prix
1) Captain Falcon
i) Onett
j) Icicle Mountain
k) Battlefield
1) Fighting Wire Frames
2) Metal Mario and Luigi
l) Final Destination
1) Bowser
2) Giga Bowser
VI. All-Star Mode Walkthrough
a) General Tips
b) Vs. One Opponent
c) Vs. Two Opponents
d) Vs. Three Opponents
e) Game & Watch Team
VII. Strategies Against Individual Characters
a) Mario
b) Luigi
c) Bowser
d) Peach
e) Yoshi
f) Donkey Kong
g) Captain Falcon
h) Fox
i) Ness
j) Ice Climbers
k) Kirby
l) Samus
m) Zelda/Sheik
n) Link
o) Pikachu
p) Dr. Mario
q) Ganondorf
r) Falco
s) Young Link
t) Pichu
u) Jigglypuff
v) Mewtwo
w) Marth
x) Roy
y) Mr. Game & Watch
VIII. The Stadium
a) Break the Targets
b) Home-Run Contest
c) Multi-Man Melee
1) 10-Man Melee
2) 100-Man Melee
3) 3-Minute Melee
4) 15-Minute Melee
5) Endless Melee
6) Cruel Melee
IX. Credits and Copyrights
UPDATES
=======
4-13-02: Had the Strategies Against Individual Characters section
listed in version 1.0's table of contents. It is now in the
walkthrough. I also added the Stadium section and a small
note about the Judgment attack.
Check back frequently - more to come!
4-18-02: Major update! Several people have informed me of erroneous
move names. I knew some of them, but others I didn't or they
escaped me. Thanks to those who sent me copious mail on this
subject, who are Hiemie the Fishboy and The Pokeking (Jason T.
Vasquez). All mistaken references have been corrected, and
Game & Watch fans can now rest happily in the knowledge that I
have finally gotten it right.
6-11-02: You won't be seeing any more updates to this guide - this is the
definitive Mr. Game & Watch guide right here as I intended it. A few
additions from some contributors have been made, and I'd like to
give them a nod here.
Timothy Sun - he contributed another method for the Home Run Contest
that I placed in this FAQ. I have still left my method
up, so you can choose from his or mine.
Banning Symington - made several key remarks that are related to the
use of Mr. G&W's techniques. I appreciate that
input.
That's it, nothing more to see here. What you see is what you get.
Some other minute updates have been made at the behest of gamers who
needed help in very specific areas. I will no longer field e-mails
with information intended as an update. Do, however, still send me
questions regarding Mr. Game & Watch himself, as long as they are
_intelligent_ questions and not ones so blatantly stupid that I can
tell right off the bat that you didn't even try to look at the guide
at all.
Bottom line: continue to ask me how to master Mr. G&W, but there
will be NO MORE UPDATES, repeat, NO MORE UPDATES. That
is all.
INTRO AND NOTES
===============
This is a guide totally devoted to the inner workings of Mr. Game &
Watch, a character hailing way back to the infancy of portable gaming.
Mr. Game & Watch, SSBM's only two-dimensional character, starred in 39
games in 1980 on the then-new portable system known as the Game &
Watch, which by today's standards is quite archaic, using a special key
to reset each game and having very basic graphics. One could easily
suppose that he's just been included in the game as a throwback to the
days of old-school gaming, but not true. Mr. Game & Watch is quite a
formidable opponent in the hands of the right player.
This guide is extremely in-depth and there's a lot to be covered in its
many pages, so sit back and read this section carefully, as if you dive
right in, there could be a little befuddlement or even mass confusion.
** Here are the sections included in this version of this guide:
walkthroughs for the three one-player modes (Classic, Adventure, and
All-Star), one for strategies against individual characters, and a
Stadium help section.
** Strategies for Classic and Adventure Mode are recorded by playing on
Normal difficulty with five stock.
** Strategies for All-Star Mode are recorded by playing on Normal
difficulty.
** The Strategies Against Individual Characters section was written
based on results in a standard melee Vs. match, level 9 opponent,
five minutes, no items, level: Final Destination. This allows for an
environment in which only optimum skill can be relied upon to win a
battle.
** Remember, an individual character is a lot tougher when they're
metal or giant, so on those strategies, you'll have to double the
recipe, so to speak.
** If you need to request information, correct me on some point, or offer up
a suggestion, e-mail me at <eubanks1084@hotmail.com>. I do eventually get
around to answering all mail that I get, so your question will not go
unnoticed.
** Check back frequently for updates to this guide, as they will be
plentiful in the days and weeks to come.
** That should be all for now, so have fun learning the Zen of Mr. Game
& Watch!
MR. GAME & WATCH'S MOVES
========================
While the less educated may immediately dismiss Mr. Game & Watch as a
weak character included only in this game as a novelty, I am here to
state from personal experience that this is simply not true. As I said
before, a professional can handle Mr. G&W with great fluency and ease.
While it may take a while to get used to his relative weakness and lack
of mass, an expert can easily tear you up, as evidenced by the
following move list.
As a note of importance, most of Game & Watch's moves are named after
the games from which they are taken. If you don't know the name of the
game, find the one which sounds most like what you are looking for. I
don't know the names of all of them, but I have listed quite a few by
their actual names.
-------------
1. Greenhouse
-------------
HOW TO EXECUTE: Press A repeatedly for cheap damage accumulation.
Mr. Game & Watch will take a pump of Greenhouse and will crank out the
gas as long as you keep pressing A. Good for keeping enemies that are
trying to get back to the level away.
-------
2. Chef
-------
HOW TO EXECUTE: Press B repeatedly to flip sausages at your opponent.
The sausages you fire when pressing B affect random arcs and may
overshoot those opponents whose stature is not very tall. Use it on
tall enemies to keep them away from you for a long time, or against
those who do not have a third jump and are trying to get back to land
(such as Yoshi). If the skillet touches your opponent while you are
using Chef, they will be scolded, damaged badly, and flung quite a
distance at a downward angle.
----------
3. Manhole
----------
HOW TO EXECUTE: Hold Down and press A to flip a flat rectangular
manhole that sends an antagonist skyward.
Despite being a non-Smash attack, Manhole has deceptive power. At
harder difficulty levels, the AI will eventually catch on if you try to
juggle them with this, but easier CPU opponents and hapless human
players may never escape a Manhole juggle. At a high percentage, light
opponents can be Star KOed by it, but against the heavier people, it's
best used as a way to stall while you think of a better strategy. I
personally count on this move quite a bit no matter who I'm fighting.
Manhole is a bit harder to use against enemies with decently ranged
attacks. Those with weapons or projectiles (such as Link) definitely present
a greater challenge to the Manhole and must be dealt with accordingly. If you
need to use Manhole against characters like this, use Key as a good way to
get close-up and stun them, and then try Manhole. If all else fails, don't
use it. Thanks to Banning Symington for raising questions on this move.
---------
4. Helmet
---------
HOW TO EXECUTE: Run forward and press A to hit them with your helmet.
Not a powerful move, I mostly use it running back and forth scoring
cheap shots on an enemy with it until they finally catch on and do bad
things to me.
--------------
5. Fire Attack
--------------
HOW TO EXECUTE: Forward Smash+A. Set an enemy aflame and send them
reeling in pain.
This is a very effective Smash move, but the fact that it's only used
from a standing position doesn't help much against the tougher CPUs.
But if it does manage to score, you've got basically any enemy with
high damage in the bag. One of Game & Watch's more powerful Smashes,
this is one you can count on to keep just about anybody at bay. Just
make sure it hits or you make yourself wide open for an attack.
----------
6. Octopus
----------
HOW TO EXECUTE: Up Smash+A. Highly effective in all cases.
Taken from the game "Octopus" where Mr. Game & Watch fights a strong,
raging, enormous - Janet Reno. No, just kidding, he obviously faces an
octopus, and the scuba helmet he wears there has been incorporated into
this game as a super-cool Smash Attack. Almost anyone with enough
damage dealt to them will go flying, and it's easy to get a Star KO
when you're on high ground. It's hard to say whether this or the Fire
Attack is his best Smash. We'll call it a tie and chalk up favorites to
personal preference.
---------
7. Vermin
---------
HOW TO EXECUTE: Down Smash+A. Best used to get people out of your way
and make a quick escape.
Vermin, ripped from the G&W game of the same name, is certainly not
your best Smash Attack, which is evident from the first time one uses
it. It will knock most people about here and there, but won't do much
unless executed exactly right. Use it mainly in the way described
above.
------------------
8. Spitball Sparky
------------------
HOW TO EXECUTE: Jump, hold Up, and press A twice during the jump to
fire two small spurts of Greenhouse.
The best use I can find for this move is against Master Hand,
especially when he's sitting idle and firing lasers from his fingers.
Since as a general rule only projectiles and aerial attacks hit the big
Hand, this is good for cheap stamina reduction. You can also use it to
surprise those on ledges above you or juggle people for a short time.
-------------
9. Trampoline
-------------
HOW TO EXECUTE: Hold Up and press B. Acts best as a third jump, though
it also deals minor damage.
Trampoline, from the wildly popular Fire Rescue game, has dual uses.
The lesser of these is for minor damage, but this sets you up to be hit
in midair and is really not recommended for regular use. Instead, use
it as a third jump to get back to land in case of an emergency.
Trampoline usually only sends Mr. Game & Watch straight up or in a
steep arc, and controlling him in midair after this is a semi-tough
task, so only use it when absolutely necessary.
-------------
10. Oil Panic
-------------
HOW TO EXECUTE: Hold Down and press B. Mr. Game & Watch will whip out a
bucket that catches projectiles.
With the potential for an instant kill, this could be the main reason
to play as this character. Say Mario shoots a fireball at you or Samus
has unleashed a charged-up shot from her arm. Simply hold Down and
press B and you will catch the projectile in a bucket. You can hold up
to three projectile attacks in this bucket, after which you can dump
the bucket's contents on the enemy at close range, resulting in major
damage and an almost guaranteed KO. This is arguably G&W's greatest
move, and is deadly in the hands of a master. YOU CANNOT USE OIL PANIC
TO CATCH CLOSE-RANGE ATTACKS SUCH AS KICKS AND PUNCHES!
------------
11. Judgment
------------
HOW TO EXECUTE: Forward Smash+B. Use it often, because you never
know.......
Judgment comes packed with several moves in one, but the random effect
is based upon the number that appears over your head when you use it.
Here is what each number indicates.
#1 - almost no damage is done to the enemy, and in fact Mr. Game &
Watch even hurts himself a little. You will hear the sound of a
Koopa Troopa shell being hit.
#2 - a light tap that does minimal damage. Can almost be considered not
even a Smash.
#3 - sort of slaps your opponent around as if you were using a Paper
Fan. Even makes the sound of a Paper Fan smack.
#4 - equivalent to a Beam Sword hit, and makes the Beam Sword sound.
#5 - the hammer releases a few jolts of electricity on the enemy.
#6 - the enemy is set on fire if contact is made, and is sent flying at
a downward angle.
#7 - does damage if contact is made, but it also releases a small piece
of food onto the field of play. Useful if your damage is high and
you need to lower it a little bit. If you are playing with no
items on, you will not be able to make food with this ability.
#8 - freezes an enemy for about half a second. Only effective for that
reason.
#9 - score! This is the absolute most powerful thing Mr. Game & Watch
can do with Judgment. With a percentage at around 60 or 70, even
the most powerful characters will go down on their knees. The more
you use it, the better a chance you'll have of scoring a 9, so
there's always hope.
Since it can't be charged, I don't like to use Judgment from a standing
position. In fact, I am often interrupted by a hit when I do so. For
that reason, I contend that Judgment is best used as an air ambush,
which is the instance where I have the most success with it. Timed
correctly while you are high enough above the enemy, the hammer should
hit them by the time you touch the ground and can be used greatly in
this fashion.
--------------------------
12. Mario's Cement Factory
--------------------------
HOW TO EXECUTE: During a jump, press Forward and A to whip this baby
out.
Thanks to Hiemie the Fishboy for correcting this. I like to call it the
Credit Card. In any case, it makes for a decent attack from the air.
-------
13. Key
-------
HOW TO EXECUTE: Hold Down while jumping and press A to jam a key
through your opponent's skull.
This actually hurts quite a lot, and is definitely the best of the
aerial assaults as far as power goes. You'll fall quite quickly when
using it, so making contact when they're right under you is almost
guaranteed. It's good for pinning people and doing good damage.
----------
14. Turtle
----------
HOW TO EXECUTE: Hold Back while jumping and press A. Good for multiple
cheap shots.
For multi-hit combo pulling, there's no better than Turtle, which can
score eight or nine hits with one usage. Due to its effectiveness in
the air, it's good against Master Hand on just about any difficulty, or
against anyone else who has an affinity for sky fighting.
-----------
15. Flagman
-----------
HOW TO EXECUTE: While on the ground, hold Up and A to show your support
for the man in 2D and do some juggling while you're at
it.
Flagman is a great juggling move, and the way Mr. Game & Watch waves
the Flagman (in such an enormous arc) means you'll hit anyone on almost
any side of you. Falling enemies who aren't attacking are most
vulnerable to this, but as is the case with any experienced CPU or
human, they will see right through your facade and immediately find a
way to deal with you.
--------
16. Lion
--------
HOW TO EXECUTE: Hold Forward and A during a jump to give someone the
proverbial chair.
Funny in a way because it makes Mr. Game & Watch look like a
professional wrestler of sorts, it's not so funny in the damage and
distance it can do for such a cheap attack. Any air ambush is complete
when you add Lion to the mix. Lion has astounding range for an aerial
move, so use it to barely get at someone if they're far away from your
jump.
-------------
17. Parachute
-------------
HOW TO EXECUTE: Press A during a jump.
Parachute does do sufficient damage for its standing as a basic jump
attack, but don't think for a second that because it's a parachute that
it is in any way conducive to floating ability. G&W's Parachute is an
attack and nothing more, and if you use it in hopes of getting to land
easier, you'll sink fast. Good damage for an aerial basic move, though.
NOTE: From Banning Symington: You can execute Parachute as you come down
through a ledge. Use it as a good way to surprise your opponents with a
really good wallop. Thanks Banning!
--------
18. Ball
--------
HOW TO EXECUTE: Grab an opponent by approaching them and pressing Z.
Game & Watch's only throw can send the opponent flying in a variety of
directions. The technique is derived from the very first of the 39 Game
& Watch games, Ball. You can even see the ball when he's executing the
throw, and with it, you can send an opponent up, down, or out. I don't
really care for it very much, as I'm not able to do much with it, and
his Smash Attacks usually are enough to handle any enemy, so there
isn't a whole lot of use for Ball. If you like it, that's fine, but I
don't recommend counting on it to do enemies in. The ball also hurts
enemies minorly.
NOTE: From Hiemie the Fishboy: There is a certain frame of animation
where Mr. Game & Watch's moves will do optimum damage. Look for
that frame and get a move in there as often as you can.
CLASSIC MODE WALKTHROUGH
========================
Obviously, before you can take Mr. Game & Watch through the Classic
Mode routine, you've got to unlock him. Do this by beating either
Classic, Adventure, or Target Test with all 24 other characters. Once
you do this, Mr. Game & Watch will challenge you to a duel in the Flat
Zone, his home. Don't worry if you don't beat him: just beat any of
those modes again and you'll get another shot.
When you do have him, though, take him through Classic Mode to earn the
first of three Mr. Game & Watch trophies.
***********************************************************************
Stage 1: RANDOM CHARACTER
See the Strategies Against Individual Characters section for more
details.
Stage 2: TWO-ON-TWO TEAM BATTLE
There are several teams you can fight against, but the basic strategy
remains the same whether you fight one or the other: GO FOR THE
STRONGEST OF THE TWO FIRST. When you have this character out of the
way, it's generally safe to track down the other and start wailing on
him or her. If they begin to gain up on you, just go gangbusters with
any move that gets you out of that kind of jam. Usually with Game &
Watch, it'll be Vermin, since that provides for a quick escape and does
a little damage besides, or Manhole. With an ally on your side, they
can get one character off your back. Most allies are pretty competent
in this sense.
For strategies against specific teams, a Team Strategies section will
be coming around soon. Check back for updates as the situation
warrants.
Stage 3: BREAK THE TARGETS
Even with minimal skill, you should be able to break all of the targets
in 20 seconds at the very most (indicating beginnerism). As a general
strategy, start on the right side and head left. The one in the door
only pops up periodically and may not be there at times, so go for it
first. From there, work your way across to the one in the small balcony
at the far left. A polished expert will finish in anywhere from three-
and-a-half to six seconds.
Stage 4: RANDOM CHARACTER
See the Strategies Against Individual Characters section for more
details.
Stage 5: GIANT RANDOM CHARACTER (2 ALLIES)
You will have a team of two randomly selected allies to help you fight
the giant character. The Strategies Against Individual Characters
section contains tips for fighting against the huge varieties of all
characters. Check there for specific hints.
Stage 6: SNAG TROPHIES
For trophies close to the central ring, use Greenhouse or a similar
weak move to tap it in. For those far away from the central ring, use
the Fire Attack (Forward Smash+A). They usually go very high up in the
air and arc a little before going in.
Stage 7: RANDOM CHARACTER
See the Strategies Against Individual Characters section for more
details.
Stage 8: TEAM OF TEN (ONE RANDOM CHARACTER)
Usually, teams of ten are lighter than the average character that they
mirror. With Mr. Game & Watch, use Manhole or Octopus to Rocket KO the
smaller and less heavy ones, and Fire Attack against the massier
opponents. If push comes to shove, whittle down their individual
energies a little before using said attacks.
For more specific strategies against teams of ten or any other teams,
look for the Team Strategies section to be coming soon.
Stage 9: RACE TO THE FINISH
Mr. Game & Watch's speed greatly facilitates him in this task. At the
first large fall, press Down to increase the speed of your fall and cut
back on time. The path is one-way until you come to a three-directional
fork. Take the middle way, it's the easiest. Jump over the lava onto
the polygonal ledges - you'll have to use Trampoline to get to the last
one. After this, run as fast as your 2D legs will carry you straight
forward to the last door. Running as fast as you can 100% of the way,
you can have as much as six seconds left on the timer following this
strategy. Also, making it to the last door gives you 80,000 points and
five coins to be used in the lottery or for continuing purposes.
Stage 10: METAL RANDOM CHARACTER
The Strategies Against Individual Characters section covers metal
varieties of each character. See that section for more help in this
area.
Stage 11: MASTER/CRAZY HAND
First of all, if you're on Very Easy, don't worry about fighting Crazy
Hand. He won't appear there, and Master Hand will have only 150 HP. The
higher the difficulty though, the more HP Master Hand has and the
greater probability there is that Crazy Hand will show up. Wail on
Master Hand with aerial attacks, mostly Turtle and Spitball Sparky,
until Crazy Hand appears (which is after Master Hand has lost half his
life). If you can, try to score a Judgment on either boss. The ability
to use it in midair helps out immensely.
Here's a few things that Master Hand is capable of doing to you:
LASERS: Master Hand will stop and fire lasers from each finger. They
hurt about 9% a pop. Run past them and use an upward-pointed
aerial move until he stops.
THE FINGER: Occasionally he will try to poke you with his finger three
times. The pokes increase gradually in amount of damage
dealt and how far they can fling you. Stay away from the
third at all costs.
CRUSHING: Master Hand may grab you and crush you in his hand, then toss
you either upward or downward. Mash buttons or wiggle the
joystick madly to escape. You can tell when he's going for
you - he'll move about following you a little and wiggle his
fingers rapidly. Run far away when he does this and he'll
miss.
BULLETS: Master Hand may fire either one or three bullets from his
fingers, which he will shape into a gun. Mr. Game & Watch is,
believe it or not, small enough to duck all his bullets. Just
make sure you're pretty close to him.
KICK: He'll walk on his fingers and "kick" you. Jump over using
Trampoline.
INCOMING FIST: He'll take off and send his fist at you. Bound over it
with Trampoline.
DOWNWARD FIST: The fist hangs in the air and then comes crashing down
after bit, sending you into space. Difficult to avoid,
but hit him with Trampoline at the right moment and you
shouldn't be affected.
SLAP: A simple slap that sends you moderately far. It's easy to recover
if this hits you, but use Trampoline to be safe.
INCOMING SLAP: He'll take off and slap you from above. Easy to evade
by using Trampoline, and deadly if you don't.
DOWNWARD SLAP: Temporarily plants you into the surface of Final
Destination. Again, avoid using Trampoline.
INCOMING FINGER: In a puff of fiery smoke, he'll take off and fly in
all sorts of directions before targeting you with his
lone index finger. The finger will send you at light
speed into space, and at the harder difficulty levels,
so will the exhaust from his wrist, so stay clear and
use Trampoline when you know he's near. Be careful
when he returns too, because there's still a little
bit of fiery smoke left that can hurt you.
Then, when Master Hand's energy is at half its maximum, Crazy Hand may
or may not come onto the scene. Listed here are only his unique moves
and moves of Master Hand's that have been modified to have more power
behind them.
BOMBS: Crazy Hand can lightly sprinkle bombs over the middle of the
arena that hurt a lot if your touch them. Chef may hit if you're
close enough and jump to reach him.
THE FINGER: The third poke will freeze you if it hits you. You have
been warned.
CRUSHING: Crazy Hand's crush puts a flower on your head, but thankfully
he often throws you to the ground after doing such. It is
harder to escape his than it is Master Hand's as well.
There are also a few moves that the two Hands use in conjunction. Both
of these moves hurt A LOT and should be avoided at all costs.
CLAP HAPPY: They just clap a lot and trap you in a clap trap. The last
clap is most likely the death of you.
SLEEP TRAP: One of the hands will put you to sleep with a soft touch,
then they will smack their fists together and send you to
kingdom come. Almost always an instant KO.
Concentrate all efforts on Master Hand even after Crazy Hand appears
and avoid anything that Crazy Hand brings at you. Continue to hit
Master Hand with attacks like Key and Chef - Manhole is too low to hit
him, which is unfortunate. Following Master Hand's demise, turn your
attention to the faster, more nimble, and more powerful Crazy Hand. Use
the short space between attacks to get in a cheapie on him. If Judgment
can score a 9, you'll take a substantial chunk out of him. Repeat with
the air strikes until he's dead, and stay in a state of low percentage
as much as possible until then.
When you beat Classic Mode with Mr. Game & Watch, you will also unlock
his level, the Flat Zone.
ADVENTURE MODE WALKTHROUGH
==========================
STAGE 1: MUSHROOM KINGDOM
*************************
Advance forward in the usual way, stomping on Goombas, because you
never know when one may give you a trophy. You also run the risk of
getting hit by Goombas and Koopa Troopas, and the higher the difficulty
level, the more they raise your damage percentage by. In the middle of
the level, on a raised plateau, you'll fight a team on ten Yoshis.
On easier difficulties, Manhole can be used to Rocket KO all of them,
but if you've got the hardness level on up there, you'll need to use
Octopus to keep them in the air. Since they usually attack from above,
Fire Attack is a bit iffy in this case, and Manhole won't work unless
one of their percentages is already at around 40% or so. If they close
in on you and start turning you into an egg, bust out and launch a
Judgment air assault, hoping for that beautiful number nine. The battle
should take anywhere from 30 seconds to 1 1/2 minutes. It would also
behoove you to remember that the skillet from the Chef attack can scald
enemies and send them flying.
After this, walk along the pipe below to the right and try not to
suffer any hits if the Yoshi team took a big chunk out of you. When
touching the flagpole, remember that if your time display shows
XX:X2:XX at the end of the level, you'll fight Luigi instead of Mario.
If you have Mr. Game & Watch, then you've already unlocked Luigi, but
frankly, Luigi is an easier fight than Mario as Luigi often commits
suicide in comical ways.
----------------------------
1) Vs. Peach and Mario/Luigi
----------------------------
The position you start in in this battle is quite awkward, but you'll
have to make do and get out of the nearest person's way quickly. This
battle can be over quickly if you are quick enough and know which moves
of yours are the most powerful. Since you start in front of Peach,
start damaging her until the plumber in the battle gets to your side.
At that point they'll start double-teaming on you, so work your way
around and start in on Mario or Luigi (whoever you're fighting). Both
like to use their power moves early and should be with dealt with in a
similar manner (i.e. power moves early to rack up damage). Try to
defeat the plumber in the group first: if you do that then Peach will
be a snap.
STAGE 2: KONGO JUNGLE
*********************
---------------
1) Two Tiny DKs
---------------
Since they're so tiny and light, these two will fly easily with a
variation of your best smash attacks in your arsenal. Start out with a
few Manholes to spoon-feed them, then start to bust out your Octopus
and Fire Attack smashes. Neither of them can tolerate a whole lot of
damage, so using these after about 50% on each one of them should do
the trick nicely. Items are rarely needed to win this match.
-----------
2) Giant DK
-----------
Immediately following the match with the two little gorillas, you'll
face a large Donkey Kong who is the sum of all your worst fears: agile
AND powerful. Fortunately, he's usually not agile enough to avoid the
raging rapids below. Guide him near those and boost yourself back to
land with Trampoline, or make trick jumps down below and hit him.
Usually he will be fooled, and you won't have to deal with getting a
bashing from this bruiser. If you can't, though, use cheap air attacks
to whittle his percentage while jumping around like a crazed kangaroo.
When you're at high enough percent, try Fire Attack until he sails out
of the ring. If possible, however, you'll want to avoid confrontation,
and luring him into the river is the best way to do that.
STAGE 3: UNDERGROUND MAZE
*************************
The best place to try and search for the exit right off the bat is to
drop off the ledge that you start on and hang a hard left. Walk left to
the nearest Link arena and see if that's the exit - most of the time,
for some reason, it is. If you have to search a while to find the
Triforce logo, here's how to handle Link. If you've fought one, you've
fought them all, so try these strategic gems.
Link falls in from the top at all times, so try to get in a good strong
Octopus smash before you even start to fight him. After that, serve up
a good balanced meal of Manholes and Fire Attacks. Items tend to appear
with great frequency here, but there are some that you should avoid.
Objects with explosive tendencies, like Bob-ombs and certain capsules,
should be thrown away or used as weapons very cautiously. Link likes to
fight up close, so any bomb that hits him is sure to send you flying,
since you're a light two-dimensional flat thing. Try not to be dealt
more than 30% damage per Link, as all that adds up quickly, even before
factoring in ReDeads, Octoroks, and Like Likes. Mushrooms sometimes
appear here - get the good ones and let Link have the poisoned ones, he
often can't tell the difference. Always grab Pokeballs and Lip's Sticks
(the thing that puts the flower on your enemy's head and does gradual
damage), and use those with great frequency if your hand-to-hand skills
fail you.
Remember that beating all five Links gives you the prestigious Link
Master, worth 30,000 points.
------------
1) Vs. Zelda
------------
Meet Zelda at the jagged column to the right and start with an air
attack ambush when you both jump over it. Zelda almost always turns
into Sheik a little bit after the beginning of the battle. Handle her
with the powerful Down+A Key attack, then use Manholes and Fire
Attacks. If you see her run away from you suddenly and you're not
invincible, she's going after an item. Mr. Game & Watch's speed aids
you greatly in beating her to the punch (item-wise), and if you're
looking out for that sort of thing, you can get to the item before she
does and use it against her. Almost any powerful moves sends her up, so
it's easiest to go for the Star KO. Try Octopus in that particular
instance.
STAGE 4: BRINSTAR
*****************
Samus is a surprisingly easy opponent, even on harder difficulties. The
only attack she uses without reserve is Screw Attack, and that can do
about 15% or more on a good go-around. Albeit with less regularity, her
plasma chain throw is another favorite, but not powerful. Don't waste
time tearing up the scenery and get to her. You probably won't be
around long enough to face the acid, but if you are, get to the top
just in case. Almost any sudden frontal attack will take Samus by
surprise, and it's easy to keep her near the edges with smash attacks
like Fire Attack. At about 100%, it's safe to use Fire Attack to do her
in.
------------------
1) Race to the Top
------------------
Trampoline slows you down, but the effect is negligible, and the move
usually ends up doing you a lot of good, taking you higher than you
probably expect (especially at the beginning). All you need to
concentrate on is getting to the top, maybe grabbing the trophy
somewhere in the middle or at the end. Double-jump and Trampoline
without stopping and you'll likely have a good 20 seconds to spare when
you complete the exercise.
STAGE 5: GREEN GREENS
*********************
--------
1) Kirby
--------
Planet Zebes will then explode and send Mr. Game & Watch hurtling to
the homeland of Kirby, whom you shall fight individually first. Don't
run straight for him or he'll inhale you and take your power of Chef.
After that, getting too close will more often than not mean a pan
scalding. Don't get up on the checked ledges just above him either, or
he'll do that cheap little spinny thing.
He may steal Chef, but one thing he doesn't have is Octopus (or
Manhole). Wear him down with attacks from above, such as Key or Turtle,
then bust out the Up+A smash early (about 70% or so - he is a puff,
after all). Just make sure not to be tortured by Chef if he inhales
you. None of his moves have real power, so this ought to be easy.
-------------
2) Kirby Team
-------------
Following the downfall of the lone Kirby, a team of fifteen will be in
to torture you. Manhole them all to the fullest extent of your ability,
and use the Ball throw on any that turn into rocks. They are all very
very light and can be easily eliminated with the same attacks over and
over. Stale Moves shouldn't worry you into using these same moves - the
rewards you'll reap far outweigh a mere 2000 points.
--------------
3) Giant Kirby
--------------
Should you defeat the Kirby team in 30 seconds or less, you'll have to
fight a Giant Kirby. Use the same strategies as against normal Kirby,
but wait twice as long to Octopus or Manhole him (140%, roundabout). If
possible, you may want to consider trying Judgment, since he's such a
large opponent. You never know when you'll get a 9! Giant Kirby will
not inhale as much, and uses stronger attacks than the others do, so
move around with caution and be careful not to stand idly in front of
any hard attacks, like the Down+B rock or the triple sword technique.
STAGE 6: CORNERIA
*****************
------
1) Fox
------
The first Fox is a REALLY easy battle. Run toward him, he will stand
there and wait for you to come unless you are stubborn. Start with a
Helmet to get rolling, then use a lot of air attacks - he gets hit
downward by the more powerful ones. Lure him to the sides and then use
attacks that will force him to use his fiery third jump. His recovery
from it is horrible, and sets him up for an easy Fire Attack, which
becomes most effective at around 80%.
------------
2) Fox/Falco
------------
Next you will fight either a different color Fox or Falco. They are
both exactly the same fighter with no appreciable differences, so use
the same tactics against them both. Each one will walk swiftly toward
you and try for the aggressive approach. Start in on Fox/Falco before
the reinforcements come in. Their guns are a major distraction, and the
enemy will use his attacks in conjunction with the guns to get you
good. If the damage starts to rack up quickly, find a safe spot and
wait for him to come to it, then have a little horseplay of your own.
Use the same luring tactics, but with more caution with all the loose
artillery around.
STAGE 7: POKEMON STADIUM
************************
You'll face here a team of ten Pokemon, mostly Pikachus with a Pichu or
a Jigglypuff mixed in here and there. This is actually one of the
tougher battles you'll fight in Adventure Mode: they know how to gain
up on you well and rack up the damage with cheap electric attacks.
Reliance on the myriad Pokeballs is not necessarily such a great thing,
but it's often the only thing that will keep you alive for a long
enough time. Keep a monopoly on the Pokeball market so the CPU doesn't
stand on a chance of getting something like an Entei or a Houou. Fancy
footwork, judicious use of weaponry, and a few good hard smashes will
get you out of this one with room to spare, hopefully.
STAGE 8: F-ZERO GRAND PRIX
**************************
To minimize the amount of time you spend in this marathon, run to the
third ledge and jump on it. Wait for the cars to pass and jump down,
then head as fast as you can forward. You should barely be able to make
it three more ledges - using Trampoline will set you above the oncoming
traffic safely. When crossing the next large pit, either hang onto the
edge of the road or stand on any platform for safety. The next time the
cars pass, you'll easily hit the exit.
-----------------
1) Captain Falcon
-----------------
To beat Capt. Falcon, you just have to know how to time your attacks
and, most importantly if you want to have any chance of successfully
using Manhole or Octopus, how to turn around and face your opponent,
which is admittedly a bit tough with the ol' G&W. Start with a skull-
grinding key from above, then work your way through him with Helmets
and sporadic Manholes. The occasional Fire Attack will get him off your
back with ease, so use that time to gather up any items you find
valuable. Most helpful here are Pokeballs and Star Rods, so pick those
up at any opportunity. MAKE SURE HE DOES NOT FALCON PUNCH YOU! EVER!
His Up+B is also quite deadly - DON'T LET HIM USE THAT EITHER!
STAGE 9: ONETT
**************
Three Nesses await you in this area, and they're all hungry for the
meat of a two-dimensional man named Mr. Game & Watch. Stay on the red
balconies to the left as long as possible, warding the three little
boys off with the Vermin smash and Manholes. The only items you receive
here are Mr. Saturns, used only for racking up damage a little at a
time. When a Ness has been damaged enough for elimination, use a smash
or guide it into some headlights if there are cars coming. They hurt
you too, so remember to jump. The key is keeping them away until their
chances of doing away with you are low.
STAGE 10: ICICLE MOUNTAIN
*************************
The first portion of this level consists of working your way up the
mountain and avoiding being killed by getting caught in the electronic
miasma below the screen. Avoid Topis and Polar Bears, the point value
for a KO isn't enough to risk being hit before your epic encounter with
two sets of Ice Climbers. Save any potentially powerful items, like
Pokeballs or Freezies (the latter of which are in abundance here) for
the top. Use attacks that will send your enemy up, like Manhole or
Octopus. If the level starts to move up fast, try to lose them at the
bottom for a Friendly Foe bonus. Nothing can stop you until you get
surrounded - that's the bad part. Never let them get too close around
you, and if they do, that's what Vermin is for. Hopefully it will also
kill them. Moral of the story: stick to Octopus, Vermin, and Manhole
here.
STAGE 11: BATTLEFIELD
*********************
-----------------------
1) Fighting Wire Frames
-----------------------
Stand in your initial position and Manhole away. If they need a little
extra lesson, use Fire Attack to insure the kill. The whole ordeal
takes anywhere from 15 to 30 seconds on average.
------------------------
2) Metal Mario and Luigi
------------------------
The only thing I can suggest here is a WHOLE LOT of Fire Attacks. This
gets them out of your way effectively and often. The distance usually
provides enough time to go through and look for items that appear
useful (though there are few). Hearts and Tomatoes appear with
surprising frequency, so grab them and don't let the metal plumbers
take them or you'll have to start from scratch. Luigi may misfire on
the Forward+B attack, so hope and pray for that. Being practically
identical, it's tough to tell which you should take out first, but I'd
just concentrate on whoever has the most damage at the time, whoever
that may be. A Fire Attack probably won't give you the kill until one
of them is at about 200% - hang in there!
STAGE 12: FINAL DESTINATION
***************************
---------
1) Bowser
---------
One-on-one battles are almost always the easiest to win by sheer speed
and accuracy, and Bowser is slow and dull-witted. Take that in mind as
you approach him in this possibly final battle. Air attacks work well
unless he decides to use the Mario 3 butt stomp, in which case get the
heck out of Dodge. If you can juggle with Fire Attacks, now would be a
great time. Octopus would probably work better for a finishing move as
far as that goes.
If you win Adventure Mode on Normal or higher, you'll now go on to
fight the demonic-looking Giga Bowser.
--------------
2) Giga Bowser
--------------
After busting loose from the Bowser trophy, Giga Bowser will hit land
and stumble toward you at a comfortingly slow pace. He is an avid
overuser of the double claw slash. You don't even want to get near that
butt stomp of his, either! You'll need therapy after that! Use the
times when Giga Bowser blows fire as a time to use Turtle or Parachute,
then use Manhole when you're really in close near his belly. Fire
Attack will kill him when he's over 300% - he's that big, yes. It's
probably not safe to fight this guy with less than three lives - two or
less is really pushing it unless you're good. Items will be helpful in
most cases. Try not to be pygmized by the poison mushrooms or else
you'll never hear the end of it. Winning this battle means winning
Adventure Mode! Congratulations!
ALL-STAR MODE WALKTHROUGH
=========================
Truthfully, there is no set strategy for this mode of play - individual
character strategies are best learned through intense study of that
person's moves and tendencies. There are, however, some rock-solid
standards you should probably follow when playing this mode as the
almighty Mr. Game & Watch. Henceforth is a concise listing of tips for
All-Star Mode, both general and Game & Watch-specific.
---------------
1. General Tips
---------------
** Avoid using bombs and other explosive devices. The CPU likes to make
it a close-range ordeal, and you'll more often than not end up
sending yourself into oblivion, which is bad since you have only one
life to last you the whole time.
** More than ever, use environmental stage pieces to your advantage.
** Power move usage is integral to your success. Abuse them if you feel
so inclined.
** Pick up a trophy if one is made available to you, especially if you
don't have that trophy yet.
** Mr. Game & Watch is quite a touchy character - it's hard to tell
when exactly you need to heal. It all really depends on your gauging
of how good a player you think you are and if you're willing to take
risks on occasion. For the novice who absolutely can't handle those
high percentages, I'd say heal after 80%. Normal healing time should
come at around 110-130% when you play as G&W. The maximum anyone
should go, even the shameless gambler, is 160%. Remember that you
only get three hearts to last you the entire game, and that using
none gets you the 100,000-point Melee Master, a tough feat with the
little man in black.
** Start each battle with either a Fire Attack or an Octopus head
smash. Fire Attack hurts for 18%, Octopus 19%.
** Pick up any Pokeballs you see - they appear quite often.
** Long-range items are always a plus here.
** Don't continue unless you've got Lottery Coins to spare. It takes 10
to continue on any difficulty, and you get points off on your final
total.
** Wait until the percentage hits 0% after grabbing a Heart to enter
the next battle. If you go in early, the percentage decrease will
stop on whatever you entered the level on, and you'll have wasted a
whole Heart Container.
-------------------
2. Vs. One Opponent
-------------------
These five matches will be against one opponent only. Since you've only
got one target to focus on, these are not hard and shouldn't require
healing between bouts. Also, these battles go by really fast if you're
good and use the power stuff like Fire Attack, Vermin, and Octopus. Be
sure you're on top of the enemy and always fighting, but being cautious
of that health meter at the same time. If you have less than 80%, don't
bother using a Heart into the first of the two-opponent battles.
--------------------
3. Vs. Two Opponents
--------------------
Pick the lighter of the two first and start in on him/her, since
they'll be an easier match for you. Never let both get to you at the
same time. If they both fight you at once, your little flat man is a
goner, no matter who you're up against. If you find one coming near
you, lure the one you're currently concentrating on away to a safer
fighting area. This may be the way it works for you, but hopefully
you'll be able to do it in a large level like Hyrule Temple. A Manhole
frenzy might even be required to get you out of a jam (Vermin won't
work well in a situation like this).
----------------------
4. Vs. Three Opponents
----------------------
Here's where your real tribulations will start, especially if you use
up your last heart in the middle of the three-enemy fights. Even though
you're outnumbered, and probably outmuscled as well, it's good to
always stay in the center and face your opponents when you attack them.
Wear them down with cheap shots like Manhole. Fire Attack and Chef are
good for keeping your opponent at bay most of the time. Failing those
two, go for Manhole again and, in last-ditch efforts only, Judgment.
Staying in the center may not work in stages with elevated centers,
such as Fourside. Pokemon may come in handy, but they have to be
powerful (like a Legendary Bird or Dog - that strong) to have a
reasonable effect. In any case, you want to try not to use your last
Heart before the final battle, which is against a grand total of
TWENTY-FIVE Mr. Game & Watches. Yeah, I'd want to save a Heart
Container for that too.
--------------------
5. Game & Watch Team
--------------------
First of all, if you have a Heart Container left, use it before coming
in, as you'll face five Game & Watches at a time. On top of the
outrageous outnumbering, you'll have to avoid falling objects and oil
spills on your own time. Fortunately, this makes them all extremely
light and easy to tackle. They never use their smash moves to the
fullest extent of their abilities, and seem to be heavy advocates of
the Greenhouse technique, as if they intend to weaken you ever so
slowly
before doing you in. The solution is to Manhole like you've never
Manholed in your whole life. They walk right into it and are killed
instantly. Assuming you don't move around a whole lot, which is
needless movement anyway, you won't be around the Flat Zone for much
more than twenty or thirty seconds.
STRATEGIES AGAINST INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERS
========================================
-----
Mario
-----
Mario guards edges and uses multi-hit moves like a madman. To combat
him with your repertoire, start in with moves like Helmet and Cinder
Block, then gradually work your way up to the harder-hitting Smash
attacks. Stand away from long enough and he'll try Fireballs. Fill your
bucket with these (Down+B) and unleash them at an appropriate moment to
cover him in liquid pain.
Octopus can sometimes be a risky proposition depending on how fast
he's falling. Often he'll be able to counter with the Mario Tornado or
some other such annoying combo move. Stick with Fire Attack when he
gets close, but not too close. Judgment works occasionally, and most
effectively from the air. If he starts hogging the edge of the level,
try Trampoline to get back, then force him off and keep him away with
Chef. Don't move above him or he'll knock some coinage out of you,
which typically hurts quite a bit.
For some odd reason, Mario tries to taunt right away at the beginning
of a new life (as do almost all other characters when there's an
opening). Use this time of pause to get in a great Smash attack,
especially if you intend to go for the Avenger KO. That's a great time
to try for that. Don't underestimate Mario by saying he's average - do
that and he'll eat your sack lunch. Be on the offensive all the time
and keep away from the edges when your percentage is high.
-----
Luigi
-----
Luigi likes the cheap moves that send you far and keep you away from
the edge. Fortunately, he's also a fan of his own missile attack, which
has a 10% chance of misfiring. He uses it to get back to land more
often than he uses his pitiful third jump. His fireballs move on a
straight trajectory, and what better target do you have than your very
own bucket? The bucket's contents are bound to send him flying when his
damage is high up there.
As with Mario, it's hard to get in a good Octopus, but it's the best
way to send Mr. Second Fiddle flying. Try it in that small recovery
time between his air kicks. It will also make contact if he is close to
you when you bring your scuba helmet down. This is the best time to
attempt that attack.
He'll throw fireballs and missile himself at you, then throw you off
the edge. Watch out when your percentage peaks 100% - he'll start going
to grab at you. Actually, he'll grab and throw you any chance he gets,
so avoid close-range fighting. Use the moves you know are bound to do
damage and stick with them regularly. It's hard to edge-guard since he
uses that stupid missile attack. Just hope and pray for a misfire, even
though it doesn't happen often. If you must edge-guard, do it with
Chef.
------
Bowser
------
A slow blunderer across land, the mighty Bowser is. As non-agile as he
is, he still makes for a good air-fighter. Octopus ought not be used
too much here, as chances are if he's right above you, he'll attempt
the famous Mario 3 butt stomp. Try instead your equally powerful Fire
Attack when he nears the 150% mark. Almost any other attack is
effective in normal battle. Stay away from his steady occasional
streams of fire - unless you want to stow them away in your bucket,
that is.
If you want to get rid of him without having to whittle him down to
150%, try Octopus at 110% or a #9 on Judgment at 85%. These are faster
but riskier ways to do him in. As I mentioned before, catch constant
fire streams in the bucket, then unleash them at about 150% as well. It
will all be too much for him and he will die by the bucket. If it
doesn't kill him, then it will certainly be a good way to ward him off.
Use it to excess - he gives you plenty of good opportunities.
As usual, Fire Attack is the best way to get rid of the buttstomper.
-----
Peach
-----
If she is far away from you, she'll go a few steps or so and then pull
up vegetables to throw at you every so often. You can't catch these in
the bucket, so you'll have to rely on shots from the laser or the Super
Scope to make that useful. Octopus is also a bad idea against her, so
again, go with Manhole or Fire Attack.
Keep her away with Chef when she goes on a vegetable tirade. Jumping
above her will probably result in a big white umbrella right in your
hoo-hah. She's quite adept at catching you and throwing you if you run
at her and also rolling past your well-placed Fire Attacks. Remember
that vegetables she's thrown can still knock on you after bouncing off
other things. The best thing to remember here is not to treat her like
a lady, and that Fire Attacks work the best. Occasionally Judgment is
good to try during that short period of taunting she has.
-----
Yoshi
-----
If you are in front of Yoshi he will stick his tongue out and eat you,
no questions asked. Whether or not he turns you into an egg or spits
you out is a different story, but there is one thing to remember that
will make fighting Yoshi lots easier: he doesn't react well to the
Octopus smash. Unlike all of the other characters I've covered up to
this point, Yoshi doesn't usually try to counter with a Ground Pound or
the fast foot thing. This makes him a total sitting duck in the air,
ready for you to do what you will him.
In standard combat, jump over his tongue and come down hard with air
attacks such as Key, Parachute, and Turtle. Run away from Ground Pounds
and never attack on the ground unless it's from a distance. Chef is
perfect for not only that, but for flawless edge-guarding. Yoshi's lack
of a third jump plus your sausages plus contact with Yoshi equal a
guaranteed kill every time.
Against the ground roll where he shields himself in an egg, any well-
timed ground attack will be effective. I recommend Judgment for that
particular instance - it's easy to time because it can't be held like a
normal smash attack, and you have a chance of sending him reeling with
that good old 9. For everything Yoshi has to throw at you, there are
probably two other moves of Mr. Game & Watch's that can easily cancel
one of his out.
-----------
Donkey Kong
-----------
It's hard to time smashes against DK. He's always got one for you too,
and I wouldn't ever attack him on the ground from his front end unless
you know you're going to get the hit in first. Your air attacks can
easily do the damage, and at around 200% Key will give you the Star KO,
if you don't wish to rely on your smashes. Also, Judgment makes a good
aerial attack.
I said it already, but don't ever stand right in front of DK. It's
very likely he'll give you a good hard fist or clap you in his hands.
If you are able to come back from a hard hit without using your
Trampoline, it'd be good and sneaky to bring the hammer of Judgment
down on his monkey forehead. He rarely does the ground smack, if ever,
so you don't have to worry about that close-up nightmare. His taunt is
short, and he usually uses it to finish off his initial invincible time
at the beginning of a life, so get him with a Manhole right after that.
Always be first, always be the fastest, and always be the strongest,
and Donkey Kong will be one of your easiest opponents.
--------------
Captain Falcon
--------------
For such a fast guy, Captain Falcon has the most awful recovery time of
anyone. You can easily combo up on moves like Manhole, Fire Attack, and
Mario's Cement Factory, getting in salvos of near 50% each time you hit
him. In
this same fashion, Octopus will also see a lot of usage - he doesn't
recover well in the air. Be totally aggressive and never hold back. The
moment you let up is the moment he takes over.
To defend against his moves, you need to be able to tell at a split
second's notice that he just did a Falcon Punch or whatever. Quickly
shield against or jump these moves. If you're feeling lucky, you can
stop him in the middle of them with nicely placed attacks. NEVER STAND
IN FRONT OF FALCON PUNCH, FALCON KICK, OR ANY OTHER RUSHING ATTACK!
Those hurt the most out of all his techniques, and are the ones that
should be duly evaded. He may use his third jump to clear your smash
attacks, so be prepared to catch up with him when he descends.
He can get back to land pretty easily if he's not killed by a hard
hit, so welcome him with a Fire Attack. That plus his slow recovery
from the jump make for a blast-off of epic proportions. It's best to
attack Falcon when you're on land and he's in the air or you're in the
air and he's on land.
---
Fox
---
Lure his lasers to you by standing far away, then let them fall primly
into your bucket. Save them for a time when he has a lot of damage, as
he is actually quite a lightweight. Fox is more aggressive than most
opponents are willing to be. You'll have to move in fast and be strong
to combat his unreal speed.
Use a shield of your own if he reflects any projectiles back at you,
such as your sausages. Don't count on him to fire lasers if he's a
distance away - he may also shoot straight through you with that crazy
Illusion technique. Avoid being thrown, because chances are he'll use
the downward toss that hurts like heck and sends you in a downward arc.
His third jump is tricky. Usually it's a 45-degree angle, so if you're
standing by the edge waiting to Fire Attack him, turn to the right to
do it, and he'll land right in its path. Fox is not difficult - just
fast. And in the end, it doesn't matter how fast you are, it's your
skills that count. Know that Fire Attack works best against him.
----
Ness
----
Almost of all of Ness's moves are good for keeping you away from the
edges. From far away, a PK Thunder can tap you but do long-term damage
like making you fall in a pit. Close up means a Yo-yo or a PK Fire in
the face, and he can charge up PK Cross so it unleashes its wrath on
you just as you hit the ground. Easy remedy: STAY AWAY FROM EDGES!
Especially since Ness is weaker in the middle of any arena. He likes to
use the Home Run Bat there more though, so jump over it.
PK Fire moves fast but can be caught in your bucket. Store it up and
continue to juggle him with Manholes and Octopus if that works. His
midair recovery is average at best, so it may work and it may not. His
third jump gives you all the time in the world to set up any great
smash attack of your choice. Heck, even Manhole can take him out at
130%, so why waste all that energy? The plain and simple truth of it is
that Ness is small. Big things easily destroy small things. Got it?
Just make sure you keep it as non-close-range as possible. One thing
about the CPU Ness is that he can change from doing a PK Fire to a PK
Thunder (and vice versa) *snap* just like that. Don't take hits from
either, especially the former.
------------
Ice Climbers
------------
Just because they work as a duo doesn't mean they're any harder than
one opponent. Establish from the outset which one is Popo (the boy,
usually in purple - it's impossible to tell the difference when they're
metal), because he's the only one who matters. Nana is merely a
diversion, and any damage inflicted on her is wasted. Only hits against
Popo count toward the percentage, so direct all smash attacks at him
unless you just absolutely need to get Nana off your back.
Popo can be weakened further if you first destroy Nana, but it's
really doesn't make noticeable changes aside from the loss of Belay,
their third jump that is only usable through teamwork. Don't stay
directly above them for too long or you may be caught in a near-endless
juggle by their mallets. Surprisingly, they are also stupendous edge-
guarders. A Trampoline won't help you much if they lay down a smash
attack on you, so make sure you're sufficiently above them if they
stand near the edge.
On the offensive, your smash attacks will be a bit more difficult to
use with two people present, one of whom gets in the way a lot. Always
come out of jumps and falls ready with a hard attack that hurts a lot.
Save all your great stuff for Popo, Nana is a negligible part of this
battle. When they fire the miniature icebergs, catch them in your
bucket really fast and maybe later you'll get a chance to use them. On
land, Fire Attack is the best smash attack to use, except when Popo is
the only one left and he's in the air. In that case, use Octopus.
-----
Kirby
-----
Get Kirby up to around 100% with your air moves (juggle him), then get
him near an edge and hit him hard enough so that he has to float back
with his cheeks. Fire Attack him while he's floating to kill him
easily. Repeat this formula all the time, and Kirby will never be a
nuisance as long as you own this game.
When he turns into a rock and slams down on the ground, grab him and
use your Ball throw. It's the only way to score a hit on him while he's
sitting idle like that, and there's a possibility that your throw could
KO him if he's hurt enough. If he sucks you up and starts to use Chef,
stay away. He mostly uses it more for pan scaldings than for the
sausage keep-away aspect of the technique. He almost always uses his
Cutter technique at the beginning of a new life, so hurdle over it and
crash the party with either a Key or a Mario's Cement Factory to get
things
going. I don't really have to explain how to beat Kirby: his slow
recoveries and poor defense combined with the fact that he's a
marshmallow make him an easy target for your anger, should you ever
require some anger management. Smash attacks all the way - most will
eliminate him just before he reaches the 100% mark.
-----
Samus
-----
The only thing about Samus is that she has this eerie pattern. She'll
get close enough to you to fire a plasma shot that can be easily caught
in your bucket, but then she grabs you with the plasma chain and throws
you forward. If you must fall victim to this, do it in the center of a
level where you don't have a high chance of dying. Don't give her the
time she needs to charge up her plasma shots; interrupt it with an
aerial attack, like Judgment.
Samus is quite the skilled combo master, so get out of the way of her
moves as quickly as possible. Jump over her missiles that slightly arc
toward you and move in the hardest-hitting aerial techniques you have.
Don't get in front of any charging shots of hers - she'll let go if she
sees that you're an easy target. Catch those in the bucket if possible;
the more powerful, the better. It will be hard to get in that bucket
shot though: she can easily negate it with a cheap shot.
Mr. Game & Watch's smash attacks are best used when she's coming back
from a long flight. Use those as often as you can. Chef won't be very
good for keeping her in the air, so just greet her with Fire Attack
when she makes it back to land. Ground fights are typically hard to
pull off against her. Samus can use her gun arm with more efficiency at
higher levels, so know her well and take to the air to get rid of her.
-----------
Zelda/Sheik
-----------
Both of the Hyrulian princess's identities are light as feathers, so
you can commence the smashing as low as 75% on her. She likes to change
back and forth between Zelda and Sheik at predictable intervals. Zelda
is slow but has powerful magic and powerful feet; Sheik is fast and
definitely a martial-arts-type fighter. Your power attacks should
eradicate any hopes of her winning.
Probably the most powerful move of hers is that air kick when she's
in Zelda form. It'll easily take you out with less than 100% on your
damage meter. She can even get you in the air from a distance with the
magic she fires from her fingers. Run in and use Helmet a few times,
then try out Manhole. When she's up near 60%, knock her away from the
edge a few times and get her with Fire Attack or Octopus when he comes
back. Beware the downward throw if you attempt Octopus, though.
Sheik is easier to fight than Zelda with the possible exception of
her rapid punches that are easier to get stuck in. She's susceptible to
just about all air ambushes, most notably those that come in the form
of a fast fall downward and a key coming out of nowhere and through her
skull. To avoid her constant following, jump over the magic spheres she
likes to fire and then come back with hard hits. If you can't seem to
get away from them when they come after you, Trampoline over them. She
doesn't use her powerful stuff often, so you can normally live up to
175-250% before even getting smacked once by her. She's a simpler match
than most of Game & Watch's opponents.
----
Link
----
Link's sword smarts got him to where he is today. You are a very light
man with a history only in the most basic of portable gaming. Therefore
it stands to reason that you should avoid his sword! His nastiest move
by your standards is his downward stab. It'll easily Star KO you if you
have 85% on your damage meter. So not only is Link good with a sword,
he's strong as well. Not a good combination for you.
Jump away from the bombs he profusely throws and catch boomerangs in
the bucket. Smashes are hard to time, because like DK, he won't wait to
charge it up (unlike you). Fortunately, Link has little tolerance for
smash attacks at high percentages. Fire Attack should do the trick at
about 100%. Until that time, chuck him with sausages to keep him away
and move in with Key and Parachute. Octopus is a good smash to use if
he's landing from his tornado-like third jump.
Don't fight him at close range, because that's when he likes to bring
out the bombs, hookshots, and boomerangs. I wouldn't suggest much in
the way of the bucket here. It's all about your air skills and how well
and fast you can combo once you've got him in the air. He's weakest
when he's coming off a third jump or just getting back to land period,
so have a Fire Attack welcome wagon there for him.
-------
Pikachu
-------
Pikachu's size most definitely belies his power. The smaller electrical
might not seem like a lot, but wait until you start getting smashed and
thrown and Thunderbolted all over the place. You'll be surprised that
such an annoying, cutesy little rodent can send you into conniptions of
cursing.
Hold Forward+A as long as possible while he comes back to the arena.
Time it right and he'll be out of here with only 85% on his meter. In
the same manner, avoid his Forward+A. That little jolt of lightning
will send you flying with the same amount on your percent meter. Use a
lot of smash attacks on Pikachu. Consider catching Thunderbolt in a
bucket, since you can actually do so at a short distance from the
blast. Three Thunderbolts coming out of a pail can hurt a little mousey
thing a lot, if you catch my drift.
Juggle Pikachu as much as you can. You can usually stick in an
Octopus if you get him in the air just a little bit. A good time to use
Fire Attack would be when he fires himself like a missile just as Luigi
does. Intercept his missile course with that and you'll send him flying
far enough to devise a plan. That's what to do when playing against
Pikachu - always have a plan, because he's always got something
electric up his sleeve.
---------
Dr. Mario
---------
See Mario. Dr. Mario, however, has a slightly stockier build than the
regular Mario, and the vitamins he shoots in lieu of fireballs are a
little bit more powerful. Adjust strategies accordingly. Since the
vitamins bounce along the ground, they are much harder to catch in the
bucket than fireballs.
---------
Ganondorf
---------
He's similar to Captain Falcon in his fighting style, but he is
definitely slower, more muscular, and with harder-hitting moves than
the agile Falcon. In his simplicity it can be seen that he is a master
of the edge guard: all he has to do is punch you once. It's very hard
to Trampoline over this, so stay in the center and use your best low
moves.
If you are just the right distance away, he will rush you with a
purple-fisted punch. Wait until he uses his third jump out of the
middle of nowhere. Use the descent as an excuse to Octopus him. You can
get in a guaranteed smash hit every time when he does this provided you
stand right under him when he does it. Don't attempt Key at all; you'll
almost always meet up with a midair grabbing and magic propelling into
the air. The only time you may want to do Key is after a charged punch,
but that's really a better time to intercept with Fire Attack.
You, as a tiny man that can fly great distances with a single punch,
need to use the advantage of speed given you by the Game & Watch gods.
Only by outwitting Ganondorf can you hope to defeat him.
-----
Falco
-----
See Fox. They both have exactly identical techniques and styles, so
there's no use repeating it all here.
----------
Young Link
----------
The prepubescent Link is not strong and of average speed in the
tradition of his adult counterpart. He's annoyingly fast and a good
smash avoider. You'll have to attack like crazy, even possibly in a
random sort of way, just to get in good hits. The best time to hit him
is during his taunt, which takes so freaking long to do that if you
don't hit him with a good smash attack in that time, you're a moron.
His downward stab isn't the main worry here, thankfully. It's how he
can shield, roll through, and dodge just about everything. Use attacks
that have a good range like Chef to deal minor injury, then try to
skirt him with Fire Attack or Octopus until he's weak enough for you to
go in and do it full blast. Vermin might keep him away for a second or
so, but it's not enough for a long-term game of keep-away. Manhole
would be a good standby for any match against Young Link. If you get
too close, expect a hookshot in the gut, and a throw immediately
thereafter.
Your speed equals his just about, so if you use the R button and D-
pad to your advantage, you can avoid him in the same way he does you.
All it takes is a little mastery of the evasion to make him see as many
stars as you. Then, when he least expects it ... BAM! Fire Attack in
the face! And he'll never know what hit him either.
-----
Pichu
-----
Luckily, you only have to do about three-quarters of your actual
fighting against Pichu; he'll hurt himself for you if you let him use
some electrical attacks. The best way to get him to use these is to
stand a short distance away from him so he fires small bursts of
electricity, or keep jumping over him and tricking him into using his
baby version of Thunderbolt. Attack when you want, let him handle some
of it, then Octopus or Fire Attack him.
Since he's the lightest character in the game, you ought to have no
trouble fighting a singular one of these suckers (however, in teams
they are a totally different story). Pichu's only decent throw is his
back throw, and that is muy powerful for such a small rodent. Give him
nothing but your best smash attacks. What's really awesome is he always
sets himself up! You can easily pull Fire Attack or Octopus off while
standing right in front of him. You can usually kill him about two or
three times a minute if you pile on the smashes. You will probably
never lose to Pichu if you are even a half-decent player.
Pichu is not without his special knacks though. He is an awesome
power shielder, and will occasionally Thunderbolt you twice in a row to
keep you in the air. If he does this, unleash some Fire Attacks of your
own. His jump kicks are a minor worry, but not if you stay localized to
the ground. 85% is the best time to start using Fire Attack as a
finishing move.
----------
Jigglypuff
----------
Everyone's least favorite somniferous, pink, androgynous Pokemon is,
incidentally, an easy character to fight against. It's almost as if it
has no idea what to do with what it has been given. If you attack with
tenacity, Jigglypuff will never get to use its sleep moves but for
maybe once. If you are put to sleep, however, you are at its mercy. It
will often use the sleep moves near edges to make you die with its
lullaby. Just pack on the smashes and watch out for Lullaby -
otherwise, there's no real need for strategy when fighting Jigglypuff.
------
Mewtwo
------
This master of psychic ability puts up a fair fight and a decent
challenge. You may have to think when going around him. He can catch
you in a throw like it's nothing, and his throws are mighty powerful.
He is easily fooled by moves like Parachute, which is one of the
greatest attacks you can use against him. It sends him flying and gives
you time to charge up a smash for his landing. At 125%, Parachute can
even kill Mewtwo, so use it in lieu of a smash if you're having trouble
connecting with those.
Because of the way he hovers over the ground instead of walking,
Mewtwo is especially vulnerable to Manhole, which is another good way
of keeping him airborne. If you see him charge up Confusion, bring your
Key down on his face. This can leave you at his mercy like Jigglypuff's
Lullaby, but this has much more dangerous results. Jump over it when
you see it. Air attacks are the best way to go with Mewtwo. He's hardly
ever expecting them, and isn't much in the air. Notice how he jumps
similar to Ness and use that to determine where he will land so you
execute a timely Octopus or Fire Attack.
-----
Marth
-----
Marth is agile, fast, strong, and a good swordsman. In other words,
your worst nightmare. You seem to be lacking in the latter two areas,
so this is a battle of wits. Marth's damage can add up quickly, and
you're very light as we've discussed several times before. Do the math,
then learn to use your shield.
Often Marth uses his third jump to take a stab at you in the air.
You're going to have to just get over it, if you catch the double
meaning. Almost all attacks are tough to do on him. The ones you
shouldn't even consider using are Judgment, Greenhouse, and Vermin.
These will never catch him. He's always one step ahead of you, so you
have always be one step of him as well. The best time to try smashes
are when he's coming back to land, even though he's usually got an
attack ready for you there as well since he uses his third jump for the
dual purpose of hitting you and recovering from a long flight. Stand
slightly away from the edge and charge up Fire Attack for when he
returns.
Trip him up with Manhole a lot; he never seems to be looking for
that. It can usually be followed up with a good Mario's Cement Factory
or
Manhole, followed by an attempt at a smash. This combo seems to work
well against Marth: I'd suggest using it a lot.
---
Roy
---
Fire Attack starts to have potency against Roy at 90%, so until then,
accost him with a barrage of Parachutes, Mario's Cement Factorys,
Manholes, and
assorted smashes. Roy is much easier to fight than his companion
fighter Marth. He's slower and not quite as agile, but his sword has
fire ability streaming through its blade, and that is what you will
have to stay away from in order to beat him.
Roy is not very skilled in excising himself from combos and quickly
applied techniques. Attack relentlessly and with reckless abandon, and
he won't be able to touch you unless you stop attacking him. In the air
and on the ground, he's quite proficient with his sword, though if you
stay on his back, you'll never have to fret over him using or even
charging Flare Blade. A constant serving of hard-hitting aerial attacks
is the way to keep Roy off your back for good.
----------------
Mr. Game & Watch
----------------
Finally, we come to the cream of the crop: you, against yourself, your
own worst enemy. Do you have what it takes to go up against your evil
twin?
Fighting too close to G&W means getting pummeled by Octopus. Don't
use this on him unless that's what it comes down to, because he can
pretty much tell when you're about to. Instead, Fire Attack works
better as a smash against him. It's also the best finishing move you've
got against yourself.
Air combat is risky business here, because he can bust out Trampoline
at any moment. If you can sense it coming, press R while in the air and
it'll go right through you. The CPU is an aficionado of the moves not
commonly used by human Game & Watchers, like Greenhouse and Ball. He
doesn't use Manhole and Fire Attack as often as he should, which is the
CPU G&W's greatest failing. Use those to fill the empty void left by
his cheapness. If you get caught in a Greenhouse cascade, Manhole your
way out until you're successful. There's not really any reason for
either of you to use your buckets unless you're playing with weapons
that fire bullets like the laser gun or the Super Scope. He often tries
to Octopus you on your way back to land; meet him with Fire Attack
instead. If you use more powerful moves than he does, you should win in
a landslide.
THE STADIUM
===========
The Stadium in Super Smash Bros. Melee is a place full of fun
diversions and skill-enhancing battles. You can use this place as a
getaway from the monotony of battle, or to show yourself or your
friends who's boss. In this section we'll be covering the many things
you can do with Mr. Game & Watch in the Stadium and how to optimize
your skills in the way you use him and how to creatively use some of
your moves.
--------------------
I. Break the Targets
--------------------
Listed on the Stadium menu as Target Test, this is a place to enhance
your skill in a particular character's target test, which can also be
played as a bonus stage in Classic Mode.
Some of you may have heard that you can get a time as low as three to
six seconds on Mr. Game & Watch's target test and dismissed it as
exaggerated hogwash. Lo and behold, my children, it is not impossible.
Mario 64 Master's FAQ describes the whole solution in impeccable
detail, but I can't list it here. He would rather you visit the page
with his FAQ on it, found on the same page as this one at GameFAQs. To
minimize the amount of time spent breaking targets, see his FAQ for
details. So sorry I can't help you on my own, but at least I have
directed you in the way that is right.
--------------------
II. Home Run Contest
--------------------
An ideal goal and distance for each character on the Home Run Contest
is 1000 feet. This portion of the Stadium section is designed to help
you reach at least that using Mr. Game & Watch. Follow the steps below,
listed with what I did and how much percent the sandbag should be at
each time you hit it.
1. Jump lightly toward the sandbag and use Parachute. It will teeter
precariously on the edge but not fall. Do not use Mario's Cement
Factory. That will make it barely fall off. (16%)
2. Slam down on it with Key so that it stays in its current position.
(30%)
3. Quickly recover from the track and use Turtle. (44%)
4. Just as it lands, Key it twice so that it stays in its current
position near the left side of the platform. (68%)
5. Greenhouse it twice. (74%)
6. Finally, pick up the bat and give it a good smash. (94%)
TOTAL DISTANCE: 1027.2 ft.
Here also for your reading pleasure and possibly execution within the game is
Timothy Sun's own special way of hitting a home run on the sandbag. He says
you can hit it over 1100 feet with this - either way, both methods work for
reaching that 1000-foot goal mark.
1. Grab the bat and use a regular A attack on the sandbag.
2. Follow that up with an uncharged Octopus.
3. Repeat the previous step twice.
4. With the bat in hand, make sure Mr. Game & Watch's hand is half on the bag
and half off it.
5. Swing.
TOTAL DISTANCE: Approximately 1150 ft.
--------------------
III. Multi-Man Melee
--------------------
a) 10-Man Melee
***************
This is way too easy. Just Manhole the 10 wire frames that come at you.
b) 100-Man Melee
****************
Again, follow the Manhole strategy, but if you move around too much, it
leaves you susceptible to being gained up on. Stay in the bottom middle
where you start and turn to face each opponent that comes your way.
Should you be beset by too many of them, attempt Vermin. Some should be
in the right spot for that to send them flying. If all else fails, Fire
Attack is the way to go.
c) 3-Minute Melee
*****************
There are several ways to survive the three-minute melee with Mr. Game
& Watch as your character. The easiest is to stay in the middle and
jump to the height needed using Parachute. It kills most wire frame
opponents in one hit and allows for minimum deviation from the center
of the arena. If you are knocked away, get back to the middle as fast
as you can and continue using Parachute.
d) 15-Minute Melee
******************
A very difficult task to undertake with Mr. Game & Watch. If you've
already got Mr. Game & Watch, odds are you're not going to be doing
this thing, so it's best to ignore it. Metal Boxes appear often, so hit
them and you'll be heavier and harder to knock away. Again, try
Parachute over and over again. It's still the safest way to go, but
doing it for 15 minutes will become tedious and difficult with
incredible rapidity.
e) Endless Melee
****************
There's no real point to this, it's just fun to do. Mr. Game & Watch
can KO more than 200 opponents in a typical Endless Melee if you use
Parachute constantly.
f) Cruel Melee
**************
This is impossible with Mr. Game & Watch. His jumping ability is too
limited, his moves aren't strong enough, and worst of all, he's too
light. Cruel Melee is best left to Jigglypuff or Kirby. Send me
something on how to do really good on this with G&W if you can.
CREDITS AND COPYRIGHTS
======================
Well, this is the end of the guide. Not much more here except a few
legal issues and things that I just feel I have to say. This is a great
game, and Mr. Game & Watch is a great character - one nobody expected
would ever have been put in this grandiose sequel to a humble
beginning. I'm proud to have worked on this guide, and I've got a few
people and things to thank who made it totally possible for it to be
created.
** Nintendo and Hal - great game. Great game.
** My brother Sam, the official owner of our GameCube and Super Smash
Bros. Melee.
** Mario 64 Master, for allowing me to mention his Game & Watch
solution for Break the Targets. His FAQ can also be found on
GameFAQs.
** Timothy Sun for his work on the Home Run Contest.
** Banning Symington for some rather helpful remarks.
** All the people responsible for the fruition of my writing success.
** The year 1980, when the Game & Watch system was publicly released
and enjoyed many years of popularity.
** The year 1984, when I was born and the world was graced with the
presence of an intelligent, humorous person. Not to brag on myself
or anything :)
** My dad, who passed the laptop I wrote this on down to me in favor of
a far better one from his place of employment.
** Hiemie the Fishboy and Jason T. Vasquez the Pokeking for their
invaluable help in providing me with all the correct names for Mr.
Game and Watch's repertoire of fighting techniques.
This version of this guide (Final) is (C) June 11, 2002, by Snow Dragon.
Some things that you shouldn't do with this guide: don't copy it
directly word for word and claim it as your own. Seeing as this is an
FAQ for a specific character, I think it would be easy to spot myriad
similarities in the text and style of writing.
Ask my permission before using this guide on your site. Just send a
quick e-mail with no fancy-schmancy stuff or beggings to be a member of
your site. Just ask, and the answer will more than likely be yes. I
like having my work published on other sites. If you are allowed to use
it, keep it in its original .txt format, and don't modify these
writings in any manner whatsoever. You may however, add pictures to the
document as a form of visual aid.
Don't distribute this thing for money, but do give it freely to those
in need. Making profit off my hard work is illegal. Also, do not link
directly to the .txt document, but instead to the page containing the
link. With most sites I put this on, their administrators like it that
way, so I just usually stick it in as a rule to follow as well.
Also, do not link directly to the FAQ itself, but to the page containing
the FAQ. It has to do with legal issues on the site that I submit to, so
don't do it.
There will be no more updates to this guide. I feel it is complete and well-
organized. I will delete all e-mails regarding things you think I should add
to make it more complete. I will only field questions on how to play as G&W,
and even then I won't answer them if it is obvious you didn't look at the
walkthrough to make sure what you're asking isn't already in there.
Have a great day, and have fun playing as Mr. Game & Watch in Super
Smash Bros. Melee!